Impetuous Primate

Pedro Cardinal Segura y Saenz, Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain, sat down and wrote a pastoral letter to his communicants last week:

"As Republicans or Monarchists you can justly dissent over what form of government is best for Spain, or concerning purely human interests. However, when the rights of religion are imperiled it is absolutely essential for Catholics to unite to secure the election of candidates to the Assembly who will guarantee to defend the rights of the Church and the social order. . . . Let us remind you that King Alfonso and his family steadfastly kept the Catholic faith."

Ever since the revolution Cardinal Segura has had gloomily in mind the rich church lands which seem likely to be taken away from him, some 50,000,000 gold pesetas of government tithes which he is almost certain to lose (though the cautious Alcala Zamora Government has made no definite steps toward the breaking of Church & State). Three weeks ago he attracted a certain amount of unfavorable attention by remarking in the course of a sermon: "May the Republic be cursed!" As it was impossible to blame this pastoral letter on any misquotation, Republican ministers raged. Fernando de los Rios, Minister of Justice, rumbled in his black beard:

"The Government cannot help but recognize the gravity of this document. It is a frank assertion indicating the hostility of the Church to the Republican regime."

"I cannot agree with the Cardinal's position," said Minister of Instruction Marcelino Domingo, and forthwith signed a decree abolishing compulsory religious instruction in the schools:

Minister de los Rios filed formal protest with the papal nuncio at Madrid.

Vatican City was reported not overpleased with impetuous Cardinal Segura. From the office of the Papal Secretary of State Cardinal Pacelli had already gone a message to all Spanish prelates to the effect that the Vatican now considers restoration of the Spanish monarchy impossible, instructing the Church to quiet all reactionary elements, and to lend its support to the formation of a clerical centre party, such as exists in Germany. Cardinal Segura was summoned to Rome to have a little talk with the Holy Father.

The Segura pastoral letter set off a hot rocket in Madrid. Ever since the departure of King Alfonso, Madrid has been quiet--a little too quiet to suit observers who recalled the doldrums that preceded the French and Russian revolutions. Last week shouting mobs bore down on the Jesuit Industrial School, burned it to the ground, swept on to a Carmelite Convent, newly erected with funds collected in South America, and burned that too. In short order four more schools and convents were burned. Nuns and priests fled through back doors. Martial law was declared.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.